Wind Concerns Ontario is a province-wide advocacy organization whose mission is to provide information on the potential impact of industrial-scale wind power generation on the economy, human health, and the natural environment.

WCO: BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR CORPORATE WIND DEVELOPERS UNDER NEW SUBSIDY

March 22, 2012

It’s business as usual for huge corporate wind power developers in Ontario, in light of recommendations in the two-year review of Ontario’s Feed In Tariff subsidy program, released today by the Ontario government.

Subsidies for industrial-scale wind power projects have been reduced by only 15 per cent–that’s still too expensive and for power that’s not needed, says Wind Concerns Ontario (WCO).

The coalition of community groups had called for a complete cancellation of the FIT subsidy program.

“The extra power that was produced and exported in January and February cost Ontario millions,” says vice-president Parker Gallant, a former banker. “Why do we need FIT when the truth is we’re wasting cheap, clean hydro power and spending millions on new transmission capacity for wind power?”

The renewed FIT program will continue to cause electricity rates to rise, which will be bad for consumers including Ontario businesses.

“In Europe, the countries that used this type of subsidy for renewable power sources saw job losses due to the high cost of power. We’re already seeing Ontario businesses say they may have to close or move away,” Gallant explains.

Gallant also noted that rural communities are being turned into electrical power factories, with falling property values and other negative effects. “People are being made ill because of the environmental noise. This government doesn’t care about the misery it’s causing.”

“FIT is a failure,” he concludes. “It is not the path to a solid financial future for Ontario.”